Hard Candy

Ellen Page had better get nominated for an Oscar for her outstanding performance in this creepy and disturbing flick. She plays Hayley, a 14-year old girl who opts to meet the 31-year old Jeff (Patrick Wilson) at a coffee shop after hooking up in an internet chat room. He comes off as a nice guy, but she suspects him of being a sexual predator, and once he takes her to his home she drops her innocent act and proceeds to drug, tie-up and torture her prey. It's a little freaky seeing this young girl do all these horrific things to this obviously sick man, but we end up feeling sorry for him as we slowly come to realize that Hayley isn't playing around... she means business. It's acted extremely well (even Wilson who sucked ass in Phantom of the Opera), and the direction is light years beyond what you would expect for what essentially is a "two people in a room" stage play sort of story. Although it gets a little ridiculous in the end (this 80 pound girl is able to hoist a 180 pound dude 5 feet off the ground by a rope? No, ain't happening) it's still a remarkable piece of filmmaking.

4.5 out of 5


*written 10/4/06